When flying with the premium services of United Airlines, you will get some extraordinary facilities on each seat. So the question is: does United let you pick your seat for free? Yes, but only passengers with elite membership can choose their seats for free, while others have to pay. It’s part of United Airlines seat selection rules, and there are many terms and conditions when it comes to seat selection.

This read will talk about the benefits and limitations of seats and how you can get your United preferred seats to comfort your travel. Stick to this blog till the end to know more.

United Airlines Seat Selection: What You Need to Know

United Airlines allows all passengers to select a seat they want in exchange for a fee. However, passengers with elite membership and premium class fares don’t have to pay any seat selection charges. Similarly, there are many benefits with limitations of United Airlines seats.

Check out the policy below:

  • When booking a flight with United Airlines, you can choose your seat in advance through United airline’s website, mobile app, or customer service team.
  • Even if the seat selection is free, you must pay the fare differences when upgrading your flight.
  • Sometimes, there might be extra charges and limited options to select a seat.
  • It completely depends on the type of ticket you buy and your frequent flyer status.
  • Before booking your flight, check United Airlines seat selection policy and fees for a comfortable travel experience.

How do I pick my seat on United Airlines?

You can either pick your seat on United Airlines at the time of booking or after booking through the ‘Manage Reservations’ section on the website and mobile app. Look at the steps below:

Pick seats on United Airlines at the time of booking

  • Type www.united.com in a suitable web browser that you use.
  • Once you enter the website, click on ‘Book a flight’ and enter your flight booking preferences.
  • You must enter destinations, date & time, number of passengers, age group of passengers, and other details.
  • A list of available flights will appear in the searches, and you can select the one that suits you.
  • Follow the prompts and provide other details.
  • At the time of seat selection, a seat map will appear on the screen.
  • You can easily select seats from the United Airlines seat map of your flight.
  • Choose your seats as per your comfort requirements.
  • Pay for the seats and your flight ticket at the end after completing the booking process.

How do I choose my seat after booking a flight?

Assign yourself a seat after booking a flight on United Airlines.

  • Type www.united.com to visit the United Airlines website and log in using your flight booking details.
  • Click on the “My Trips” option at the top of the page.
  • Select the trip for which you want to pick a seat and go to the ‘More’ options.
  • Scroll down the page and hit the “Seat Assignment” or a similar phrase option.
  • Choose the seats that suit you from the available options using the United Airlines seating chart.
  • Click on the “Continue” button after completing the seat selection procedure.
  • Complete the seat selection process and click on the “Submit” button.
  • After paying for the seat, you will get a confirmation email. The email will consist of updated flight tickets.
  • Lastly, select seats at the time of online check-in, which is available 24 hours before departure time.
  • To get help selecting the seats online, United Airlines customer service is always at your service.

What happens if I don’t pick a seat on my United flight?

When flying with United Airlines, you must choose seats in advance to get a comfortable flight experience. If you skip to pick a seat on United Airlines before airport check-in, the airline staff will assign a random seat to you at the gate.

However, you will end up getting a random seat and lose the chance to sit with a travel companion. So, it’s always better to choose your seat ahead of time to avoid any inconvenience.

Note: When traveling with family, request the cabin crew to make you sit together inflight.

What is a preferred seat on United?

Preferred seating on United is a special seat that offers more comfort or a better location within the flight. These seats are way better than regular seats for economy-fare passengers. These seats include extra legroom, seats with more space to recline, or seats that are near the front of the plane for faster exit.

Depending on your flight and type of ticket, you will either have to pay the United seat selection cost or get it for free. Many free seats are available to loyal members of United’s rewards program and elite status.

Conclusion

If you’re flying with United Airlines and want to choose your seat, you have some options. Within 24 hours of booking your flight, you can pick any available seat for free. But if you wait longer than 24 hours, you’ll have to pay extra for the seats you want. If you’re a member of United’s Miles and Rewards program, you can avoid these fees. To learn more about seat selection with United Airlines, you can follow flyfaresky or get in touch with United’s customer service team.